WaltLongmire wrote:

blkexec wrote:Do what I said earlier in the season.....Bring KP off the bench and allow him to play a Melo role as the lead dog. Put DWill or Early in the starting lineup. Move Melo to the PF spot where he can use his quickness against bigger guys....DWill is going to be left alone next to Melo and will provide easy transition buckets.

Let KP be the focal point on offense with Grant, Gallo, KO (second unit). It's not a demotion, but a way to balance the team, give KP training as a go to guy on offense. It's easier for Melo to score on a slower big than a strong and quick SF. Against a big, he doesn't have to make so many moves to beat his man. Against todays SF, he has to put on so many moves, trying to get by a quick player, and winds up shooting an off balance fadeaway, after dribbling out the clock.

Then next year, KP would have a year under his belt and be able to play center, while Lopez comes off the bench. Keep Melo at the PF spot, if we want the old Melo back.

I might very well put KP at the 5 on the second unit. Some pick and pop stuff with Gallo or Grant? Have him in the post and try to get Williams into play going to the basket with KP as a facilitator. Porzingis has actually shown he can pass when given an opening to do so, but his opportunities have been limited.

I have no faith in KOQ and Seraphin at this point, and it seems that Fisher is not enchanted with Williams.

After that very good shooting game a number of contests ago, Thomas has really come back to earth.

Not saying that Early is any kind of answer...but can he perform better than Thomas or Williams at times...Yup.
The fact that he is still with the team and not in the DL makes me think they want to use him on the big club, or at least it seems so tod me.

A lot depends on Grant, though, because my feeling is that Gallo has to do too much as a lead guard and is much better a SG.

We will see...

KP needs his development minutes against first team NBA opposition - You let him earn his credits against second teams, then he will be a second team player. He needs tough challenges like Miami to harden him. I want them to safeguard his health at all costs but I hate coddling. This is the big leagues and he gets to earn it like everyone else.

clyderules wrote:KP not going anywhere. Ever.

I'm hoping that I can put Grant in the same category.

You wouldn't give up KP's promising (yet not guaranteed) future, for a decade of MVP-caliber play for Davis. Really?

Knicks1969 wrote:

EnySpree wrote:We have a very solid starting 5 with KP, Melo, Rolo, Calderón and affalo.

The bench held the team down in the beginning but now have regressed a lot. Derrick, O'Quinn and Seraphin are too up and down. Grant is facing some rookie blues.

How can we get better?

Yeah we need a better pg, but who is out there that we can get or hands on?

Alot of buzz on the board on who we should get, but who can we realistically get? There are a few pg dangling like the backups in Milwaukee, raptors, hornets, new Orleans, mavericks, Lakers....

We Probably Could used a more reliable bank up forward. What's wrong with Cleananthony Early? There's tons of dangling fwds throughout the league....

how can we get better?

We are already a decent roster. I actually think we can win and contend with our current roster. The one thing I am not sure of is the coaching staff. I believe it was Phil's biggest blunder. Hiring a dude who never coached at any level is ludicrous

Worked out well for the Warriors with Mark Jackson....and then again with Steve Kerr....and then again (sorta) with Luke Walton on an interim basis. Jason Kidd with the Bucks also deserves an honorary mention.

NardDogNation wrote:

clyderules wrote:KP not going anywhere. Ever.

I'm hoping that I can put Grant in the same category.

You wouldn't give up KP's promising (yet not guaranteed) future, for a decade of MVP-caliber play for Davis. Really?

Biggest issue with Davis continues to be his tendency to get injured and miss games- injury prone and a brittle body make for great frustration.

A team would be foolish not to make the trade if offered, though, if they thought the injury thing was not a factor in his future.

nixluva wrote:It's really about our young guards!!! It's that simple. When G&G are playing fast and aggressive, creating TO's and Fast Breaks and making shots, this team is a highly competitive team! If they aren't making things happens then you get what we've seen. It's pretty much up to those two to make things happen and the others feed off of them. After them it's DWill! He's got to be involved more as he was early in the year.

If the starters play as expected then we need G&G and DWill to push the action off the bench and that will get everyone else going.

Excuse me, how can they do such a thing when the coach is not playing them the minutes to get in a rythm??????

knickscity wrote:I'm not sure that our starting lineup is solid. Lopez imo isnt playing like a starter, certainly doesnt play the minutes due to fouls lately, and even though Calderon has improved some, he isnt either. Even Afflao hasnt gotten adjusted yet. This team is quite lucky to be where it is. I wouldnt shuffle the starters up though, unless Galloway is being plugged in in there as he's the only bench player even resembling something starter worthy. what your seeing is a team playing above themselves and now other teams in the league have caught on.

You'll know what this team is in these next four games. Melo has already called today's game a must win. i wouldnt be surprised if the team dropped at least 2 of them.

Lopez though he has had some eh games has definitely played like a starter. Afflalo is not that good of a player.

I get the feeling that you think that Afflalo is a better / more valuable player than lopez.

markvmc wrote:I've been fairly impressed with Lopez. He's a good defensive player, and while he isn't a scorer, he can do enough offensively (putbacks and the occasional hook shoot) that he can't just be ignored at the other end. I just wish he could give us more minutes, especially in fourth quarters.

then how are we gonna get KOQ his minutes? And Seraphin? And Lou? And Dalembert?

mreinman wrote:

knickscity wrote:I'm not sure that our starting lineup is solid. Lopez imo isnt playing like a starter, certainly doesnt play the minutes due to fouls lately, and even though Calderon has improved some, he isnt either. Even Afflao hasnt gotten adjusted yet. This team is quite lucky to be where it is. I wouldnt shuffle the starters up though, unless Galloway is being plugged in in there as he's the only bench player even resembling something starter worthy. what your seeing is a team playing above themselves and now other teams in the league have caught on.

You'll know what this team is in these next four games. Melo has already called today's game a must win. i wouldnt be surprised if the team dropped at least 2 of them.

Lopez though he has had some eh games has definitely played like a starter. Afflalo is not that good of a player.

I get the feeling that you think that Afflalo is a better / more valuable player than lopez.

Id like to hear Fisher's reasoning for keeping Lopez on the bench in crunch time, most nights. If he was costing them games, if he was a lousy defender, wasnt grabbing off. boards, Id understand. This started pretty early in the season, way too soon for it to be about his play.

Calderon and Sasha stunk on ice for most of this season and they have a longer leash. Fisher is pulling him as soon as he gets 2 fouls, but he sits on the bench in the 4th. If he isnt going to play in crunch time, why worry about fouls? He put him in last game late in the 4th (for a change) when we were down by 20. Makes no sense. Really want to hear the reasoning behind these moves from Fisher. Too cute by half seems to be his philosophy.

GustavBahler wrote:

mreinman wrote:

knickscity wrote:I'm not sure that our starting lineup is solid. Lopez imo isnt playing like a starter, certainly doesnt play the minutes due to fouls lately, and even though Calderon has improved some, he isnt either. Even Afflao hasnt gotten adjusted yet. This team is quite lucky to be where it is. I wouldnt shuffle the starters up though, unless Galloway is being plugged in in there as he's the only bench player even resembling something starter worthy. what your seeing is a team playing above themselves and now other teams in the league have caught on.

You'll know what this team is in these next four games. Melo has already called today's game a must win. i wouldnt be surprised if the team dropped at least 2 of them.

Lopez though he has had some eh games has definitely played like a starter. Afflalo is not that good of a player.

I get the feeling that you think that Afflalo is a better / more valuable player than lopez.

Id like to hear Fisher's reasoning for keeping Lopez on the bench in crunch time, most nights. If he was costing them games, if he was a lousy defender, wasnt grabbing off. boards, Id understand. This started pretty early in the season, way too soon for it to be about his play.

Calderon and Sasha stunk on ice for most of this season and they have a longer leash. Fisher is pulling him as soon as he gets 2 fouls, but he sits on the bench in the 4th. If he isnt going to play in crunch time, why worry about fouls? He put him in last game late in the 4th (for a change) when we were down by 20. Makes no sense. Really want to hear the reasoning behind these moves from Fisher. Too cute by half seems to be his philosophy.

The forth quarter has been such a struggle as far as scoring, that I understand it somewhat, but the rest of the rotation is so all-over-the-place that by the 4th quarter the shts becomes comedy. We have had a 16 different line up to close a game.